Daniels tosses complete game as Seabreeze advances in district baseball tournament

Tuesday

Apr 22, 2014 at 10:32 PMApr 23, 2014 at 12:18 AM

The Sandcrabs' Jack Daniels needed only 72 pitches to toss a complete game over the Pirates.

By Sean Kernansean.kernan@news-jrnl.com

DAYTONA BEACH — Jack Daniels was his usual steady self on the mound for Seabreeze, and the Sandcrabs got all the runs they needed with a three-run first inning to defeat Matanzas 5-2 Tuesday night in the District 5-6A tournament.Daniels threw just 72 pitches in a complete-game performance in which he got 11 outs on balls hit in the infield, struck out two and picked off a runner.“Jack's been like that all year — he's not flashy,” Seabreeze coach Anthony Campanella said. “He throws strikes. His pitch count was down. He kept the ball down. That's him. He's been steady like that all year.That's why, in big games like this, he's going to get the start.”The Sandcrabs (13-12) will play New Smyrna Beach (11-16) for the district championship at 5 p.m. Thursday at Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.The Barracudas advanced to the title game via a 4-2, 10-inning triumph over Pine Ridge that came one day after NSB edged Deltona 2-1 in 14 innings.“That's a lot of baseball in two days,” NSB coach Phil Enright said. “This puts us in the state playoffs next week, and that's all I've been telling our guys. Let's play for the next day.”Seabreeze defeated Matanzas (13-12) for the third time in as many games this season.The Sandcrabs jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Nick James knocked a two-run single to center field to score Mason James and Liam Wigley after they had reached base on a bunt and single, respectively. Matanzas played the infield in against Seabreeze's cleanup hitter.“We had runners in scoring position, and I was looking for a fastball,” said James, who had two hits and scored twice. “That's what he threw me. I put the bat on it. I felt comfortable (with the infield in). I had more room to hit and felt like I just had to hit it over the infielders.”Matanzas got two runs back in the top of the third inning. Robert Bell led off with a single to center, advanced to second on a throwing error and scored on Joe Russo's base hit to center. Sam Colasanti, who was hit by a pitch, came around to score on the third Sandcrab throwing error of the inning.Daniels (6-3) faced just one batter over the minimum in the fourth through six innings, and in the seventh worked out of a first-and-third threat without any damage.“My curveball really wasn't working until about the fourth inning,” said Daniels, who describes himself as a hit-my-spot kind of pitcher. “I gave up some runs in the third inning, but we battled through. We got through the inning with the errors and didn't get down on ourselves.”Kyle Commette was 2 for 2 with a double, sacrifice fly and a run for Seabreeze. Jeremiah Wilson, a transfer from Matanzas, added an RBI single.Colasanti was 2 for 2 with a run for the Pirates.Seabreeze 5, Matanzas 2Matanzas 002 000 0 — 2 7 3Seabreeze 301 001 x — 5 8 3W — Daniels (6-3); L — Colasanti (3-3). Records — Matanzas (13-12), Seabreeze (13-12).Seabreeze#301#001#x##5#8#3W: Daniels (6-3); L: Colasanti (3-3). Records: Matanzas (13-12), Seabreeze (13-12).